Dualism is an umbrella term encompassing beliefs that pluralize the subject matter rather than focusing on it as a single concept, (1). Any time that one divides from the whole into two separate, often conflicting, entities it can be considered a dualist view as opposed to a singular one. Modern dualism, however, typically refers to the philosophical questions put forth by Plato, and later cemented into our textbooks by Rene Descartes, forming the quandary of whether or not the mind, and the body can really be considered to be one, and not two separate and equally valid realities, (1). During this essay, I will be taking the stance that dualism is reasonable and justifiable.
Plato initially raises the question of the nature of self in the
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After the fake hand has been introduced, the mind believes it to be its body and begins to feel with the rubber hand, (6). When the scientist strikes the fake hand with a rubber hammer, (6), we see the test subject react with pain even though there is no physical reason for this. If the mind and the body truly were one, then we shouldn’t see this discrepancy between them. If they were truly one then they should be able to coordinate thoughts, and feelings. A fake hand shouldn’t invoke reactions of pain, as it should recognize the hand as either a part of itself or not. Instead, we see the mind almost adopts the rubber limb as it’s own during the course of the experiment. If the mind can be tricked into thinking the body in front of it is it’s actual body, when it clearly is not, then this must mean that there is a division that we cannot readily see. If it cannot be seen by our eyes which perceive the physical, then it must not be a physical construct. If it isn’t a physical construct, then it in turn must be immaterial as Plato would have referred to it. If the mind can act in such a way that it can fit the definition of immaterial, but the physical body cannot, and then is it really fair to classify them as the same